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The Republic of China Air Force (traditional Chinese: 中華民國空軍; simplified Chinese: 中华民国空军; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó Kōngjūn) is the aviation branch of the military of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and is often viewed as one of the most technologically advanced and combat capable branches of the Republic of China's armed forces.[1] The ROCAF's primary mission is the defense of the airspace over and around Taiwan against an attack by the People's Republic of China. Current priorities of the ROCAF include the development of long range reconnaissance and surveillance networks, integrating C4ISTAR systems to increase battle effectiveness, procuring counterstrike weapons, next generation fighters, and hardening airfields and other facilities to survive a surprise attack. In May 2005, the Ministry of National Defense indicated its intention to transfer command of all defensive missile systems to the ROCAF, while future offensive missiles would be placed under a newly-formed missile command.
[edit] Organization
Like most of the other branches of the ROC armed forces, much of the ROCAF's structure and organization is patterned after the United States Air Force. Like the USAF, the ROCAF has a wing → group → squadron structure.
[edit] HistoryFormally established in 1920 as the Aviation Ministry, the ROCAF was active during the tenure of the ROC on Mainland China. In this period, various airplanes were purchased and deployed by warlords in their struggle for power until nominal Chinese reunification in 1928. During the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), the ROCAF participated in attacks on Japanese warships on the eastern front and along the Yangtze river including support for the Battle of Shanghai in 1937. The Chinese frontline fighter aircraft initially comprised mainly of the Curtiss Hawk II and III and the Boeing P-26 model 281, and engaged Japanese fighters in many major air battles beginning on the 14th of August 1937, when Imperial Japanese Navy warplanes raided Chienchiao airbase; "814" has thus become known as "Air Force Day". Chinese Boeing P-26/281 fighters engaged Japanese Mitsubishi A5M fighters in what is among the world's first aerial dogfighting between all-metal monoplane fighter aircraft. A unique mission in April 1938 saw two Chinese B-10 bombers fly a mission over Japan, but dropping only propaganda leaflets over the Japanese cities of Nagasaki and Saga. It was a war of attrition for the Chinese pilots, as many of their most experienced ace fighter pilots, such as Lieutenant Liu Tsui-Kang and Colonel Kao Chih-Hang were lost. In the latter-half of the Sino-Japanese War, part of World War II, the ROCAF was augmented by a volunteer group of American pilots (the Flying Tigers) in 1941. Throughout the war the ROCAF was involved in attacks on Japanese air and ground forces in the Chinese theatre. ROCAF General HQ was established in June 1946. From 1946-1948, during the Chinese Civil War, the ROCAF participated in combat against the People's Liberation Army engaging in air to air combat on at least eleven occasions in the areas surrounding the Taiwan Strait. The ROCAF reportedly enjoyed a 31:1 kill ratio against the PLA. GHQ was evacuated to Taiwan along with the rest of the ROC Government in April 1949 following the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War. The ROCAF assisted in halting the PLA advance at the Battle of Kuningtou on Kinmen the same year. The ROCAF regularly patrolled the Taiwan Straits and fought many engagements with its Communist counterpart (the PLAAF). The ROCAF received modern equipment from the US at that time, such as the F-86 Sabrejets. During the Cold War, the ROCAF was involved in combat air patrols over the Taiwan Strait and engaged the PLAAF on several occasions. The ROCAF was also the testbed of American technology at this time. The first successful kill scored by an air-to-air missile was accomplished by an ROCAF F-86 Sabrejet with then experimental AIM-9 Sidewinder. ROCAF pilots also flew U-2 recon overflights of the PRC during this time with assistance from the USAF. Known as the Black Cat Squadron they flew 102 missions, losing 5 planes. All five were shot down by SA-2 surface-to-air missiles, the same type of surface-to-air missile that shot down Gary Powers over the USSR in 1960. In 1984, the ROC began the development of the IDF (Indigenous Defense Fighter) after China pressured the US State Department to block the sale of the F-16 to the island. The IDF's maiden flight was made in 1989, and the plane entered service in 1994. The ROC was subsequently able to buy the F-16 from the US and Mirage 2000-5 from France. [edit] EquipmentThe ROCAF's inventory includes over 400 combat aircraft, the mainstay being the F-16 and F-CK-1 IDFs, with the Mirage-2000s being its most formidable air-defence fighter. The older F-5s are gradually being phased out. Most of the ROCAF's equipment was purchased from the United States, which also assists in the training of some ROCAF pilots at Luke AFB in Arizona. The Mirage 2000-5 fighters were purchased from France in the early 1990s. The F-CK-1 IDF fighter and the Sky Sword series of missiles are examples of domestically designed and produced systems currently in service. [edit] Recent procurement plansIn January 2006, the Air Force announced it wanted to buy planes with VSTOL capability, especially the US F-35. It also expressed an interest in upgrading its current F-16s and Mirage 2000-5s, possibly even purchasing second-hand F-15s. However, the US rejected the sale of F-35s or F-15s. There were no media reports as to how France responded. In mid 2006, the Air Force announced plans to buy 66 F-16 C/D Block 52 aircraft from the US for $3.1 billion USD.[4] On October 2nd 2006, the US said that it would not allow the purchase of the 66 F-16s at that time. According to sources cited by National Defense Minister Lee Jye, the US stance was that until a long-stalled arms purchase package consisting of six Patriot Missile Batteries, 12 P-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft and 8 conventional submarines cleared the legislature, it did not see the ROC as having a consistent military procurement plan and temporarily blocked the sale.[5] The Taiwanese legislative approved the 2007 defence budget, which included funds for part of the arms purchases on June 16, 2007. On 28 February 2007, the US Defense Department approved an order made by the ROC for 218 AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM, as well as 235 AGM-65G2 Maverick missiles, associated launchers and other equipment. The total value of this order was revealed to be $421 million USD.[6] On 10 August 2007, a shipment of Harpoon anti-ship missiles was also authorised by the US Defense Department, valued at an estimated $125 million. Included in the package were 60 AGM-84L Block II missiles and 50 upgrade kits to bring the ROCAF's existing Harpoons up to Block II, mark L standard.[7] On 2008-10-03, arms notifications were sent to Congress concerning, amongst other things, the upgrade of 4 E-2T aircraft to the Hawkeye 2000 standard and $334 million worth of spare parts for the ROCAF's F-16s, IDFs and C-130s.[8][9] [edit] Aircraft Inventory
[edit] Missile inventory
[edit] See also[edit] References
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